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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29392398">You Are Missing From Me.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnzieLove/pseuds/AnzieLove'>AnzieLove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Missing. [Sphereshipping, or LuCinder.] [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Lovesickness, M/M, Mates, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 13:21:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,579</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29392398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnzieLove/pseuds/AnzieLove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Both Ash and Goh have started to notice that their Lucario and Cinderace have been acting strangely since they have been spending more and more time apart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aceburn | Cinderace/Lucario</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Missing. [Sphereshipping, or LuCinder.] [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Are Missing From Me.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I own nothing and I make no money.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ash first noticed when Lucario started fighting to get out of his pokeball. He got out all the time. When he got out at night, he'd sneak out into the forest to do whatever the hell it was that he was doing. Ash knew when his Lucario was in a bad way. He knew the difference between him being his usual serious and withdrawn self, and when he was...distracted. Something was weighing on his mind, and it got in the way of training, battles, and even when doing every day things. And he knew that if Pikachu spoke, like Meowth or Mewtwo or even like another Lucario that they once knew, he knew that Pikachu would outwardly agree. </p><p>In fact, Pikachu followed him one night, and apparently tried to talk to him. They did have a chat, and Pikachu tried to explain it all back to Ash the next day, but Ash can only understand Pikachu so much. After throwing out a few guesses, Ash finally got to, "Did he just choose to not tell you?" </p><p>And Pikachu nodded to that: "Pika."</p><p>Of course. It was the same with him when he tried to talk to Lucario. He was a damn brick wall. They were eating in the dining room. Well, him and Pikachu and all the other Pokémon were eating. Lucario barely touched his bowl. He did what he usually did nowadays: just stare into space, not saying anything. </p><p>Ash couldn't take it anymore: "What's gotten into you, Lucario? You barely eat. You barely sleep. You get out of your pokeball all the time, and you can barely focus on anything. Did I do something to upset you? Just tell me what's going on!"</p><p>By this point, all the other Pokémon stopped their eating to watch Ash and Lucario, and the loner Pokémon probably didn't like all that attention. It didn't help that Ash was getting more and more frustrated with him. Like with Pikachu, he threw out guess after guess, and Lucario would turn away and grumble a shutdown. He probably said things like, "There's nothing wrong," "It's none of your business," or, "Leave me alone."</p><p>"There's clearly something wrong, and I want to fix it!" Ash said, making everyone jump by banging his fist down onto the table. "Let us help you, you damned stubborn jackal! How do you expect us to get stuff done if you don't talk about the problem!"</p><p>And to this, Lucario growled another shutdown and went outside to disappear into the trees again.</p><p>Ash stomped over to his room that night and really laid it into an angry text to Goh: "Something's fucking wrong with Lucario. Something's been wrong for weeks and he won't tell me and it's pissing me off."</p><p>Goh: "Woah, hold up. What do you mean Something's wrong? Are they sick or something?"</p><p>Ash: "I don't fucking know! He gets out of his pokeball all the time. He doesn't eat. He doesn't sleep. And he can barely focus on anything!"</p><p>Goh: "That's funny..."</p><p>Ash: "Why is that funny."</p><p>Goh: "Cinderace has been doing the exact same thing. It's driving me nuts too. I was going to tell you. I didn't know it was happening to you too."</p><p>Ash: "And Cinderace won't tell you what's going on either?"</p><p>Goh: "Nope."</p><p>Ash: "I wanna help, but I don't know what to do."</p><p>It was a bit before Goh responded. He had always tried to be analytical, rational, and articulate. He was probably, at that point, trying to think long and hard about what to do. Finally, there came a response: "Maybe we should ask a Pokémon specialist? Like someone from a Pokémon center or some kind of Pokémon professor? There's gotta be someone that specializes in the psychological or neurological side of it all."</p><p>Ash: "I think that's the only thing we can do."</p><p> </p><p>----------------</p><p> </p><p>Ash first contacted Professor Oak, then went to the nearest center to speak with their Nurse Joy. Both of them pretty much gave him the same answer.</p><p>When he gave all the details to the Professor, like Goh, he thought long and hard, then concluded: "Lucarios are very complex. They're a lot like humans, actually. So let's think about people for a sec. When a person is depressive, what does that mean? It could mean a lot of things. But usually, when a Lucario gets like this...it's because they are love sick, or sexually frustrated."</p><p>Ash just stared at the Professor through the screen of his computer for a moment: "...Are you telling me that Lucario has been a huge pain because he's horny?"</p><p>The Professor couldn't help but burst into laughter at that, the heaves of noise almost too much for the device. "I guess I am."</p><p>"So what now? Do I just leave him be? Let...nature run its course?"</p><p>"Well, how long has this been going on?"</p><p>"A few weeks? Maybe a month by now?"</p><p>"And you say that he's been sneaking out at night?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Interesting. If he were looking for a mate, it wouldn't take a Lucario long at all. I'd say he has already found his mate, and are away from them. They are longing to be with them again."</p><p>Well, what the hell was he supposed to do about that. Fan-freaking-tastic.</p><p>And just to get a second opinion, he went to Nurse Joy at the Pokémon center, and...</p><p>"It sounds like he's pining, or love sick," she concluded quite fast, with that same smile and chipper voice, like it was something she heard all the time. "It's quite common. Lucarios can be quite hard to handle in these times. Just try to be patient and remind your Lucario that you are there for them. I know that you are concerned for them, but Lucarios are generally very competitive. If you keep getting angry at them, a part of them will perceive it as a threat, and with each outburst, it will distance itself from you more and more. I would recommend not having any battles until they are better. In a battle, they may not obey you, or concentrate very well. They value control over their emotions and their bodies. It's their pride. If they don't fight well due to emotional distress, it will make them sink even further. Do you understand?"</p><p>Ash did understand, and he thought that this was just what he needed to hear.</p><p> </p><p>-----------------</p><p> </p><p>Ash: "Okay, so basically, the two Pokémon specialists I talked to said that Lucario is more than likely just love sick. Pining really hard. And it's making their aura go out of whack."</p><p>Goh: "Huh. You know what, that makes sense."</p><p>Ash: "You didn't even talk to someone, did you. You just thought I'd figure it out."</p><p>Goh: "What, I got other stuff to do. And a lot of Pokémon to care for."</p><p>Ash: "Sure."</p><p>Goh: "I wonder where their mates are."</p><p>Ash: "Who knows. We need to travel all over. We met so many people and Pokémon. They could be anywhere."</p><p>As soon as Ash sent this text, Pikachu piped up: "PIKA!" It made Ash jump in his chair. Within moments, the mouse was running around him, circling him, trying to get his attention.</p><p>"What is it, Pikachu?" he said. Pikachu had always been insightful, been alert and observant. Maybe they figured it all out. "Do you think you've figured out what's up with Lucario?"</p><p>Pikachu nodded a yes, and that was all Ash could understand from them. After the nod, Pikachu proceeded to bounce around and kick their feet, like they were at a rave.</p><p>"I...I don't understand, buddy," Ash finally said, palms out and shoulders up. "Look, I have homework to do, alright? I'll get back to you later."</p><p> </p><p>----------------</p><p> </p><p>That day, Lucario was just a glance away, seen right out of Ash's window. The young man watched his restless Pokémon continue to be restless, practicing for battles he wasn't allowed to do. Ever since he told him that he would not allow him to fight until he got whatever the hell was wrong with him settled, he might as well have told Lucario to not come back inside until then. He was almost never home. Ash did see him eating, though. He saw him eating greens, fruits, and nuts all the time, so it wasn't like he was starving.</p><p>That fateful hour, the sounds of the passing train were heard in the distance. It was a normal sound. Ash heard it all the time and didn't think anything of it, but it was different for Lucario. Something happened around the same time as the passing train, and it caught Lucario's attention. Ash noticed Lucario's blue air about his body, his aura. He hadn't seen him this alert in a while. He watched Lucario stop in his tracks to stare at the trees. Ash about gasped when he saw him make a mad dash for them, disappearing into their shades. It was so sudden.</p><p>"And just where are you going now," Ash huffed.</p><p>A minute later, Goh blew up his phone with frantic texts: "...He just jumped off! But he made it fine. I don't know what's going on. Should I call someone?"</p><p>When the realization hit him, Ash felt like a dumb fuck. They should have known. They should have known better than to separate them.</p><p>Ash messaged back: "Cinderace is looking for Lucario, and Lucario is on his way to him. Let's let them be."</p>
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